CHESS
Coruscating
Raymond Keene
Since its inception in 1895, when Steinitz, Lasker, Tchigorin, Pillsbury and Tarrasch were in the lists, Hastings has had a reputation for delivering brilliant games. This week I continue with two more of the best from this year's Foreign and Colonial Congress which ends tomorrow night, when the former Prime Minister Lord
Callaghan presents the prizes.
Foreign and Colonial Hastings Premier: Chand- ler — Yusupov; Open Spanish.
1 e4 e5 2 N13 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Nxe4 6 d4 b5 7 Bb3 d5 8 dxe5 Be6 9 Nbd2 Nc5 10 c3 d4 It was at this point that Karpov produced the bombshell 11 Ng5 against Korchnoi, 10th game, world championship, Baguio 1978. The point is to meet 11 . . . Qxg5 with 12 Qf3. An amazing idea but subsequently Karpov switched to the more restrained 11th move which Chandler chooses here. 11 Bxe6 Nxe6 12 cxd4 Ncxd4. This variation was first seen in Capablanca — Lasker, St Petersburg, 1914. 13 a4 Be7 14 Nxd4 Nxd4 15 Ne4 0-0 16 axb5 NxbS 17 Be3 Qc8 18 Qd5 Chandler's improvement on the game Adams Yusupov played in the previous round. There White continued 18 Qc2 Qe6 19 f4 Rad8 20 Ra4 Rd7 21 Rfal Qd5 22 h3. This looks logical in that White concentrates his forces against one weakness in the Black camp, namely the a6 pawn. Nevertheless after 22 . . . f6 23 exf6 Bxf6 24 Nxf6+ Rxf6 25 Rxa6 Rxa6 26 Rxa6 Nd4 Black was able to draw the endgame a pawn down. Chandler's strategy over the next few moves is to eschew material gain in the interests of keeping pieces on the board. In particular, he continually resists the bait of the pawn on a6. 18 . . . Rd8 19 Qe6 Qf5 20 f4 h5 21 h3 Rab8 22 Rfdl Bh4 23 Qc2 Kh8 24 Qc4 Qg6 25 Khl Be7 26 Bc5 The square c5 is traditionally the vulnerable spot for Black in the Open Lopez, and Chandler now occupies this post. Yusupov can do little but mark time. 26 . . . Bh4 27 Qe2 Rxdl + 28 Rxdl Re8 At least Black has lifted the threat to a6 temporarily. 29 Qf3 Qf5 30 Bgl Kg8 31 Nc5 g6 32 Qc6 With Yusupov getting very short of time Chandler launches the decisive invasion. 32 . . . Qc8 (Diagram) 33 e6 Black is now obliged to surrender the exchange. If 33 . . . fe 34 Qe4 Kh7 35 f5 attacks g6 and the bishop on h4 and rips up Black's king-side. 33 . . . Rxe6 34 Nxe6 Qxe6 35 Qxe6 fxe6 36 Ral Bg3 If 36 . . . Bf6 37 Ra2 followed by b3 and then Ra6. 37 Rxa6 K17 38 11112 B12 39 Rc6 Ke7 40 Bgl White's extra exchange and outside passed pawn guarantee an easy win. 40 . . . Bg3 41 Rc5 c6 42 Rxc6 Bxf4 43 Rb6 Nc7 44 Bh2 g5 45 Bxf4 gxf4 46 Kgl Nd5 47 Rb7+ Kf6 48 Kf2 Ke5 49 K13 Kd4 50 Raj Ke5 51 Ra4 Kf5 52 Rd4 Ke5 53 Rc4 Kf5 54 b4 e5 55 b5 Nb6 56 Rc6 Black resigns.
Foreign and Colonial Hastings Premier: Sprag- gett — Adams; English Opening.
1 g3 Nf6 2 Bg2 e5 3 c4 Nc6 4 Nc3 Bb4 5 Nd5 0-0 6 a3 Bd6 7 Nc3 Re8 8 d3 Bf8 9 e3 Ne7 Black seeks to free himself with . . . d5. 10 e4 Sacrificing a further tempo in order to clamp down on d5. Black's next move renews the threat to liberate himself in this fashion. 10 . . . c6 11 Bg5 Ng6 12 Nge2 h6 13 Bd2 Ne7 Black now definitely achieves the thrust . . d5 but meanwhile White has gained the opportunity to strike a flanking blow at the centre which establishes a pawn majority there. 14 f4 exf4 14 . . . d6 is too passive. Hence Black enters into complications. 15 gxf4 d5 16 e5 Ng4 17 h3 d4 18 hxg4 dxc3 19 Bxc3 Bxg4 20 d4 Had White played 20 Od2 then 20 . . . Nf5 would be a clear indication of the nature of Black's counterplay, based on threats such as . . . Bxe2 and . . . Ng3. After the text White can answer 20 . . Nf5 with 21 Qd3 Bc5 22 0-0-0 Bxe2 23 Qxe2 Nxd4 (23 . . . Bxd4 24
Position after 32 . . . Qc8
Be4 is extremely dangerous) 24 Bxd4 Bxd4 25 c5 Re7 26 Rh3 wins a piece for White due to the pin on the 'd' file. 20 . . . Ng6 21 0-0 Nh4 22 Be4 Nf5 This move commits Black to a rigid defensive posture. Surely the correct course is to try to exploit the draughty quarters of the white king with 22 . f5 23 Bhl Re6 planning . . . Rg6. After the text White succeeds in reducing the tension and implementing his central strategy. 23 BxfS BxfS 24 Ng3 Be6 25 b3 f5 26 Qd3 Qd7 27 a4 White stops Black's only real counterplay . . b5 for ever. 27 . . . Q17 28 Radl Rad8 29 Rd2 Rd7 30 Qf3 Red8 31 Rfdl Kh7 White is very slowly and laboriously loading a gigantic cannon which he will eventually fire at point blank range, the advance d4 — d5. Meanwhile, Black is well aware of White's intention and even has time to prepare to receive the force of the blast, but it is impossible for Black to move out of the way. His position has been frozen to the spot in front of the cannon's mouth. 32 Nfl g5 33 Ne3 g4 34 Qhl RC 35 Kfl b6 36 Bb2 (Diagram). White's last three preparatory moves have all been impressive. The queen has retreated as far as possible out of range of the advancing black pawns, the king has stepped out of the a7 — gl diagonal so that . . . Bc5 cannot be played after d5, finally the white bishop has moved away from the black rook's influence on the 'c' file. The cannon is now ready to go off 36 . . . Qg6 37 d5 cxd5 38 NxdS BxdS 39 cxd5 Bb4 40 d6 Rg7 41 Rc2 Bc5 42 Rd3 a5 43 Bd4 h5 44 BxcS bxc5 45 Rh2 Kh6 46 e6 c4 47 e7 Rb8 If 47 . . Re7 48 dxe7 Rxd3 49 Rh5+ Kg7 50 Rg5 threatening both Rg6 and e8=Q 48 d7 cxd3 49 d8=Q Black resigns.
Position after 36 . . Bb2
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